


are you a secret i’m holding in

by mjxspidey



Series: Spideychelle Week 2019 [2]
Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fake Dating, a tiny bit angsty, fluffy though, there’s a ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2020-05-29 14:36:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19402327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mjxspidey/pseuds/mjxspidey
Summary: mj loves her dad. but she hates that he hates spider-man — who happens to be her best friend.





	are you a secret i’m holding in

when michelle found out that her dad was invited to the first annual avengers’ ball, she freaked out. not because she was jealous, but because she was scared for her best friend.  
j. j. jameson, the editor-in-chief at the daily bugle, hated spider-man. and her best friend happened to be spider-man. well, peter had never told her that’s him, but she knew. also, she couldn’t be mad since she was also hiding something from him.  
but that invitation changed everything.  
after the war, everyone, including the avengers, realized many things, but enjoying their time while they still have it was something that stood out. so, they organized the ball and invited old “enemies”.  
“oh, you found the invitations, chelley. do you want to come with?” “sorry?” she said, distracted.  
“the ball. would you like to come with?” the girl’s eyes widened and she stammered, “o-oh, i’m already going with my friend..... boy. my boyfriend.”  
“your boyfriend? since when do you have a boyfriend, michelle? and how is he going to the ball?” he inquired.  
“uh, it’s p-peter. i’ve told you about him,” she replied. “he used to have an internship with tony stark. i guess he really liked him,” she chuckled.  
“peter? you never talked about him.” he said with a scowl. “parker? his uncle has sold a few pictures to the bugle.”  
“ah, the parker kid. i-“ “i’m actually late to meet him. see you next week, dad.” she interrupted.  
“isn’t your mom supposed to pick you up later?” “i forgot to tell her. bye,” she replied, already walking out the door with her phone glued to her ear.  
“come on, parker, pick up.”  
“em? what’s up?” he said, cheerfully. “are you home? actually, i don’t care if you’re not, go to your house right now, we need to talk.” “bu-“ “be there in 15, loser.” she hung up and sprinted to the subway station.  
she got to the door of the parker’s apartment out of breath. when she was about to knock, peter came up behind her, and seeing her state, didn’t say anything, just unlocked the door. she dropped her bag on the floor and went straight to his room, knowing he was right behind her, and dropped down on the bottom bunk.  
“you wanna explain what’s happening? i mean, i don’t mind, uh, being with you but that was really out of the blue. even for you.” he said with a stupid smile never leaving his face. she sat down and looked up to his eyes.  
“i know you’re spider-man,” she stated. “ohh,” he said, his face dropping. “and my dad is j. j. jameson.” “oh,” his face hardened and he looked away.  
“i’m sorry i never told you. i just.... i wanted to protect you.” she looked for his eyes, “please say something.” he looked at her, his face still serious.  
“i never told you i’m spider-man. it’s okay. i’m sorry too.” she sighed, “you don’t have to be sorry. i wish you had told me, it wasn’t my secret to know.” he smiled tightly, “you’re clever, mj. i’d be surprised if you didn’t know.” “i’m really, really sorry.” her smile matched his, “i know you’re not mad, but still.”  
he sat down next to her and after a few seconds put his hand on her knee. “em, you’re my best friend. i was planning on telling you, i promise. you don’t have to be sorry, i’m really happy that you know.” their smiles matched again, but this time, it was a real one.  
she got up, letting his hand drop and now pacing around his room. “so, anyways, i told you all of this for a reason. and i think i fucked up. big time,” she smiled nervously.  
“ok... what did you do?” he narrowed his eyes. “you’re going to the avengers’ ball, right?” he nodded. “good, ok. as spider-man, the superhero or as peter parker, the old intern slash tony stark’s protégée?”  
peter looked down, his feet toying with the carpet. “i haven’t really been able to put on the suit since... you know. too many memories.” he looked back up, a look of despair on his face. “peter parker then.” she knew how hard it was for him to tell her that, so she didn’t mention it when she continued in one breath, “peter parker, ok, awesome, because i may or may not have told my dad that we’re dating and going to the ball together.” he instantly blushed, his eyes looking like they were about to pop out its sockets. “uh, da-dating? and going to the ball? together?” she smiled sheepishly, “yes, and i know that’s kinda shitty, and if you had to invite someone it probably wouldn’t be me anyways, and there’s the whole dating thing. but, it’s my dad, peter. i’m just scared of what can happen if i’m not there, and going with him just wasn’t an option.”  
he ducks down and pulls a box from underneath his bed, rummaging through it until he pulls out two golden envelopes, similar to the ones she found at her dad’s. “actually, i was gonna invite you. and tell you i’m spider-man. you kinda ruined my thing here,” he laughed, “but, still, do you wanna go to the ball with me?” she gaped at him, “are you serious?”  
“of course i am. there isn’t, uh, there isn’t anyone else i’d rather go with than you, em.” she smiled, her eyes lighting up, “i’d love to.”

they had the ball situation figured out, but that didn’t calm mj in the slightest. she had told her dad they were dating, and well, they weren’t.  
so, the next day after school, when they were supposed to studying, they were having a very awkward discussion, instead.  
“you could, just, you know,” she mumbled. “no, i don’t, mj.” she sighed and slid down the couch closer to him, grabbing his hand and interlocking their fingers. “do this. you could, do this, i mean.” they avoided eye contact, not taking their eyes off their hands. “oh, uh. ok.” he started tracing lines on the back of her hand with his thumb, which made both their ears redden. “y-yeah, you can do... that,” she faltered.  
they looked up, letting a smile appear across both of their faces.  
they were more fucked than they thought.

mj had broken the news to him on sunday, the ball was friday, and she didn’t have a dress. something peter had graciously reminded her of on thursday.  
“hey, what color is your dress? may said that my handkerchief has to match it or something, we’re gonna go buy it after school.” michelle looked up from her book slowly, a look of panic on her face. “you forgot to buy a dress, didn’t you?” he asked. she nodded as slowly as she lifted up her head. “shit. i can just go with you and may? my mom has a late shift. we’d have to stop by my house first, though.”

“i was so happy when peter told me you two are dating, mj. he has been talking about you non-stop for years and-“ “aunt may!” he looked at the younger woman through the rearview mirror, both of their faces red.  
they had decided to run with the lie, telling may and michelle’s mom that they were dating, and only ned knew the truth. they were gonna fight after the ball and break up. easy.  
“yeah, may, i’m really happy too.” she says, her eyes not leaving his.  
“well, we’re here. you two be quick, we’re in a tight schedule.” michelle smiled, and when she was about to open her door, peter did it for her.  
“you don’t have to shit like this, loser,” she reprimanded, closing the door and grabbing the boy’s hand. “of course i do, it’s what ben used to do with may,” he said cheerfully, and she really didn’t know how to reply, so just she started dragging him up the stairs.  
“oh, yeah, are you ready to meet my mom as my boyfriend?” she said as they stopped in front of her door. “she’s home?” the boy replied, his voice getting higher. she rolled her eyes and opened the door, yelling for her mom.  
“hi, chelley, the money is on the counter,” ms. jones happily informed her daughter. “peter! it’s so nice to see you,” she opened her arms, going in for a hug. “it’s great to see you too, ms. jones.”  
“how many times did i tell you to call me olivia, peter?” she said, pulling away from the hug. “sorry, olivia,” he smiled sheepishly. “oh, i’m so happy you two are finally together! i always knew it’d happen.”  
michelle came up behind her mom and interrupted the conversation, “sorry, mom, we have to go. i’ll see you tomorrow when you get back from work, right?” “i’ll be here when you come back from school,” she replied, caressing mj’s hair. they quickly hugged and they were out the door.  
“finally together?” he laughed. “talking about me non-stop for years?” he shrugged, “got me there.”

they had been walking through the mall for what it felt like an eternity to mj, but only an hour had passed.  
“i want dark colors, loser, stop pushing the yellow on me,” she said for, what it felt like, the billionth time. “how about this one then?” it was red and black. the colors of spider-man’s latest suit. “i-it’s beautiful,” her eyes gleamed. “but don’t you think it’s a bit, i don’t know, dangerous? with my dad and all?” she whispered.  
“trust me, em. it’s perfect.”

the next day, michelle’s mom was at home as promised, what she hadn’t told her is that she wouldn’t be home to help her get ready, and mj was sort of, kinda, really mad because “it was the whole point, mom! i don’t know how to do any of these... things.”  
“sorry, sweetie. but i’ve talked to may! she said you could go get ready there.” mj narrowed her eyes, “you what?”  
“what? the groom can’t see the bride before the wedding?” she rolled her eyes, “i’m only going because i truly have no idea how to do anything, mother.”

she got to peter’s holding her dress, heels, and the little makeup she owned. peter opened the door and whispered “sorry” before pecking her cheek, her ears reddening. _he made me blush with a peck on the cheek, what the fuck_ , she thought, but settled for just saying the last part, “wha-“. “mj! come on in, dear. we only have 2 hours,” may interrupted. “only?” she mouthed at peter, who half-shrugged and smiled at the girl.

“look at you all dolled up,” may smiled with a hand on her hip. “not to brag, but damn, i did a great job,” she says, leaving the room. michelle laughs to herself and turns around, seeing herself for the first time. “wow,” she whispers. “yeah, wow,” peter said from behind her, as stunned as the girl. she smiled at him through the mirror and turned around, looking him up and down.  
“you look really pretty,” he says. “and therefore i have value?” she replies, smiling slightly. “no! no, that’s not what i meant at all, i was just-“, he quavered. “i’m messing with you,” the girl chuckles, “thank you.” “you’re welcome.” they both have smiles on their faces now. “you look pretty, too.” the boy doesn’t have time to answer before may comes back in her room rushing them out for pictures before happy — she assumes he’s his driver? — gets there.  
“just do prom poses, i guess,” may said with a frown and continued, “i don’t know how you’d pose for a ball.” they did what may told them to without complaints until, “ok, now kiss.” and of course peter was the one to get paralyzed. mj turned towards him in their half-hug-situation and put her other arm around him, whispering in his ear, “we’re dating, remember?”, before putting one of her hands on his face and kissing him, her heels made her a good 3 or 4 inches taller than the boy, so she leaned down a bit. his lips were soft, as expected. not that she had been thinking about it.  
it was a short kiss, probably only 5 seconds, but when they separated their chests rose and fell with rapid breaths. the situation could’ve easily gotten very awkward if it wasn’t for petter getting a text from happy saying he had arrived.  
may followed the two downstairs, hugging them and telling them to “send a lot of pictures. take one with shuri, and tell her to come over soon, ok?” “yeah, yeah, bye, aunt may!” “oh, sam and bucky, too!” she yells as they close the car door. “i’ll introduce you to all of them once we get there. we’re gonna be a couple of hours early anyways.” she nods and turns to face happy. “so, do you work for peter?” “i work with peter, not for peter,” he grunts.

they arrive at the venue and the place is empty, as peter predicted. they show their invitations at the front door and get in. the place is beautifully decorated with red and gold everything, an homage to peter’s old mentor. she saw his eyes starting to water and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers like they had practiced that day at his apartment, but instead, this time it felt real.  
“come on, dweeb, i want to meet the avengers.” he smiles at her and pulls her upstairs until they reach a big room, this one filled with people. all heads turn to them and they look really happy to see him. some yell his name, others just smile, but she can see he’s adored by his work family. she felt like an outsider.  
they walked together, peter introducing her to all these people who she only ever saw on tv.  
“oh, em, this is shuri. i’m pretty sure may likes her more than she likes me.”  
“don’t tell peter but may has said she likes me more than him, too,” the two girls laugh, “i’m michelle. or just mj.”  
“oh, you’re mj! peter has told me all about you! and he never shuts up, so don’t doubt it.” “has he, now?” she glances at him, his arm tightening against her waist.  
“i think that’s enough, for some reason i feel like until the end of the night you two could have a plan to get me killed, and i’m not risking anything.” he narrows his eyes and the other two just roll their eyes.

peter and michelle were going to tell sam what was going on. after everything that happened, the new captain america was in charge of the compound, and if jameson tried anything, they wanted him to know.  
“sam, i need to talk to you,” peter approaches him, his face was serious, something the older man rarely saw. he didn’t say anything, just took them to an adjacent room and closed the door behind them. “my father is j. j. jameson,” mj blurted. “ok. that’s your girlfriend, kid?”  
he looked up at her, “yeah. she is.” “and what do you want me to do about it?”  
“why the fuck did you invite him in the first place? my dad is remorseless. he doesn’t care that spider-man got snapped for five years and came back to his mentor dying.”  
“i’m sorry,” sam responded sincerely. “i wouldn’t have invited him if i knew about all of this, i just really want all of this to end.”  
“yeah, i understand that. i just don’t think this was the best approach, that’s all.”  
“if he asks about spider-man just tell him that you heard he’s still not making public appearances, ok kid? kids?” they nodded and sam left.

it had been an hour since the ball started when mj’s dad arrived. there was an aura of superiority around him that she never liked. she loved her dad. she hated his work persona.  
she inches closer to peter, who idly held her waist. “my dad is here. pretend we’re crazy in love and hilarious,” she whispers in his ear and rests her head on his temple, laughing. peter joins in and turns around to kiss her forehead. his lips are warm on her skin, and he leaves the spot where he kissed tingling.  
“hello, michelle.” she stiffens on peter’s hold and looks ahead to the source of the voice. “hi, dad,” her lips seal in a tight line as she gives him a quick hug, then goes back to peter’s arms. “hello, mister jameson, it’s nice to meet you. i’m peter parker,” the boy says, extending his hand for a non-reciprocated handshake. he drops his hand back to his side and smiles, matching mj. “yeah, parker,” the older man said distracted, looking around them.  
“spider-man is not here, dad. if that’s what you’re looking for,” she said harshly. “i’ve heard he’s still not making public appearances, sir,” peter completes.  
“i wasn’t looking for him,” he huffed.  
“yes, you were,” mj says exasperated. “would you please give it a rest? that kid has suffered enough, he doesn’t need you being all over him.” her face is flushed in anger, and she pulls peter away without even glancing at her father.  
she struts through the room, not stopping until they reach the garden on the back.  
“how do you deal with this?” she says in a tired manner, as if she had asked that question to many people many times. “i didn’t. tony would usually tell me what to do or he’d solve it himself,” he responds with a small smile.  
“i’m sorry my dad is such a dick.”  
“i’m not gonna deny that because you’d know i’m lying,” he chuckles. “but, even though he has made my life hell, he also gave me one of the people i love the most, i can’t be mad at that.” she looks up at him, “we’re really not about to do this at a fucking garden, parker. what’s next? i’ll lose my glass slipper?”  
“where do you wanna do this, then?” “literally a rooftop would be better than this.”  
he scratches his neck and looks around before inching closer to her, “can i just-?” he grabs her waist, “sorry, i’ll just- get your leg here and uh-“ he hoists her up on his lap with one arm — she thought it was impressive (though she’ll deny it until death) — and shoots a web to the roof of the venue, swinging them up until where he could and then crawling the rest up.  
there’s comfortable silence for a couple of minutes before michelle breaks it. “ok, we can do this now,” she laughs. “you love me?”  
“i do, yeah.” “nice.”  
he looks at her, who has a blank look on her face and chuckles, “yeah, nice.”  
there’s silence again. this time is less comfortable, but at least it was shorter.  
“i love you too, you know?” “you do, huh?” “yeah, weirdo.”  
“nice,” he slides over closer to her.  
“cool,” she still hasn’t looked at peter, but turns her body to him.  
“great,” he grabs her waist with one hand and lifts up her chin with the other.  
“amazi-“ he closes the gap between them, slamming their lips together.  
it wasn’t like the kiss they had in front of may for a camera. it was hot and heavy. her hands roamed around his back and shoulders and they tried to pull each other closer together, as if it was possible. they pull away, breathless, and smile at each other.  
“hey, em?” “yes,” she murmurs. “i’m spider-man.” her smile grows even more. “also, do you wanna go to the avengers’ ball with me?”  
she laughs, throwing her head back, “was your original idea just a plan to get in my pants?” he smiles sheepishly, “maybe. did it work?”  
“maybe.” she kisses him again, her dad long forgotten.


End file.
